


Bitter End

by AreYouSittingComfortably



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Betrayal, Character Death, Deception, Enemies, F/M, Fear, Flashbacks, Forgiveness, Hurt/Comfort, Love/Hate, Magic, Major Character Injury, Moving On, Powerlessness, Rape/Non-con References, Reconciliation, Redemption, Revenge, Trust, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-15
Updated: 2013-02-15
Packaged: 2017-11-29 08:58:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/685171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AreYouSittingComfortably/pseuds/AreYouSittingComfortably
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cora and Hook are still searching for Rumplestiltskin's dagger, and Storybrooke, and its Sheriff, are paying the price for their frustrations. As the story reaches its conclusion, there is good and dark magic, forgiveness and betrayal, redemption and revenge, love and death.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Bearing Down

**Author's Note:**

> Context: I started writing this after "In the Name of the Brother” and finished after “Tiny” but the story takes place at the close (as Dumbledore might have said). It centres on Hook, Emma, and Cora, but involves nearly all the major characters. Cora has been taking a heavy toll on Storybrooke, and several characters have already died by her hand. Regina is still denying she’s been reunited with her mother and trying to convince the Charmings that she’s changed. Snow and David are still at odds over where their future lies. Rumple has comes to terms with the fact that Bae died long ago, and has finally managed to restore Belle’s memory, and promised not to use dark magic again. There are adult themes in this story, but no explicit details (you can always use your imagination)!
> 
> Why Hook and Emma? 1) because the writers have done a great job setting up so many possibilities for their characters, conflict, and connection, 2) because I’m intrigued by the way they’re both seemingly at the mercy of what they see as their destinies – hers to save, his to avenge, 3) because Hook is so much fun to write and 4) because Emma’s journey is at the heart of the series and why I got hooked (pardon the pun) on Once Upon A Time in the first place. 
> 
> The title and chapter headings are all nautical terms which relate to the story. There are also unashamed echoes of Harry Potter. Some details, particularly in the final chapter, intersect with other stories I’ve been working on.

Hook returned to his ship, angry and exhausted. His search for the dagger had once again revealed nothing. As he boarded the deck, he found Cora coming up from below.

“Good evening, Hook.” she said pleasantly.

He frowned. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

Cora smiled “I can’t help but notice you’ve been a little frustrated lately, so I brought you a gift. Something I think you’ll find most enjoyable.” She leaned into his ear and whispered “You’ll find her in your cabin. Ten hours should be enough I think. Make good use of the time – you may not have the opportunity again.”

 _Her?_ Hook stared after Cora as she walked calmly down the gangplank.

“Tick-tock” she said sweetly.

Hook scowled. He was tired of her games. He descended the stairs and pushed open the door to his cabin. A muffled sound came from the direction of his bunk and there was Emma, gagged and bound and struggling to free herself. Now this was a surprise. He closed the door behind him.

_On the dock outside, Cora makes a small gesture with her hands and the door to Hook’s cabin magically seals itself behind him, unnoticed. Cora’s smile widens as she walks away._

“Well, well,” he said, walking over to Emma, smirking, “this is a pleasant change, Swan.” He ran his eyes over her, noting that her hands and feet were bound with ropes from his deck. “There was me thinking you weren’t interested, and now here you are… in my bed.” He lingered suggestively over the words.

Emma squirmed.

Hook pulled up a chair and sat in front of her. He reached out and touched the material of her blouse with a look of distaste, “But really, love, you could have dressed more appropriately for the occasion, something a little more… enticing.”

She mouthed something that sounded distinctly like an insult, despite the gag. The smug look on his face was insufferable.

“Then again,” he mused with a glint in his eye, “you won’t need any clothes for what I have in mind.”

This time her cursing was unmistakable.

“You really do have a filthy mouth, Swan,” he frowned “and not in a good way. If you want me to take that gag off, you’re going to have to stop cursing.”

The look on her face told him that wasn’t likely, but satisfying as it was to see her at a disadvantage, he’d had a bitch of a day, was no closer to finding Rumple’s dagger, Belle had thrown fairy dust at him again the second he got close to her, and he was really getting sick of being manipulated into Cora and Regina’s little games.

He got up and turned his back on Emma, removing his coat and sword and hanging them on a hook by the door. He was tired and dirty and needed time to think. What was Cora playing at now? He stripped off his shirt and poured some water into the basin on his dresser and proceeded to wash, before pulling on a loose nightshirt, and pouring himself a large glass of rum. He sat down at the table and raised his glass to Emma, eyeing her over the rim of the glass.

At least someone was having a worse day than him, he thought with satisfaction. She lay there glowering at him, but she’d stopped struggling and was lying still. Maybe a little sparring with Emma would cheer him up a bit.

“Where are my manners?” he said lightly, “You’ve come to visit me and I haven’t even offered you a drink.” He poured a generous glass and it took it over to her, using his hook to work free the knot on her gag, then looping it into the back of her jacket to help her up into a sitting position, while she unleashed a torrent of abuse on him.

“I suggest you use this to wash your mouth out.” he said, holding the glass up to her lips. She looked for a moment like she was going to knock it out of his hand, but instead took a big swig, gasping and coughing as it burned her throat.

“What is that?!” she spluttered. “Lighter fuel?!”

“Finest Jamaican rum” he answered, indignantly, putting the glass down.

“Jamaica? When – how – did you go to Jamaica?”

“I’m a pirate, Emma, I’m very resourceful when it comes to getting what I want.” he looked her up and down in a way that made her feel uncomfortably aware of how vulnerable she was. He leaned in until his face was only inches from hers, “Speaking of which… do you want me to untie you before, or after?” he breathed.

Every fibre of Emma’s being wanted to run, but she couldn’t, so she stared back at him defiantly. He wouldn’t actually do this, would he? She thought of all the things he was willing to do to avenge himself on Rumple, and all of a sudden she wasn’t sure. Without taking his eyes away from hers, he ran his hook over her hip and down her leg. A little chill went through her. Then he sliced through the ropes binding her ankles and wrists, releasing her.

She leapt up and away from him quickly, rubbing her bruised wrists.

“Why?” she asked, more than a little surprised and relieved.

“Because I’m tired and not in the mood to play games.” he said honestly.“No matter how tempting it is to torture you a little longer.” He paused “I may be a lot of things, Emma, but I’ve never forced myself on a woman. If she doesn’t come willingly, there’s really no fun in it.”

“Thank you” she said gratefully.

“Go,” he said tiredly, “before I change my mind”.

Emma turned and reached for the latch of the cabin door, but found she couldn’t move it. She jiggled it, but it wouldn’t shift. She tried again, more frantically. Nothing. He’d tricked her! She was about to turn on him when she realised he too was scowling at the door.

“Stand aside, lass. I’ll do it.” he said tiredly. But he couldn’t, the door simply wouldn’t open. “What the..?” he exclaimed, shaking the latch violently. He tried prising it with his hook and then hitting it, but it wouldn’t budge. He threw his weight against the door. Nothing. Emma joined him, both of them trying to shoulder the door open, but nothing worked. Suddenly he understood what Cora meant about having ten hours... the same length of time Emma had bargained with the giant to hold him captive on the beanstalk. “Cora!” he hissed furiously, “She must have magically sealed the door!”

Emma tried frantically to unlatch the door again but nothing happened. She turned on Hook “Why?”

“Because she’s a bitch?” he suggested venomously “And she’s trying to teach me a lesson.” Then it dawned on him, “And she’s hoping I’ll teach you one.” Hook laughed bitterly, and punched the door, in frustration, making his knuckles bleed. How could he have fallen for this? He swore and sank to floor, sucking his hand. This whole damn thing was getting too messy.

Emma sank down opposite him, her back to the table. She stared at him, waiting for him to explain.

“She hasn’t forgiven me for helping you get the compass and not killing you at Lake Nostos. She thinks…” he hesitated. “that I have a weakness for you, and wants me to prove my loyalty to her by hurting you.”

“But that’s ridiculous! You left me to die in Rumple’s cell!’ she exclaimed. “We’ve clashed a dozen times since. Is she insane?!” He ignored her. They both knew the answer to that.

“She expects me to want to punish you for besting me repeatedly, and continually getting in the way of me skinning my crocodile. Which, to be honest, is very tempting…” he added, his eyes narrowing, “Either I hurt you so that she knows that I’m loyal, or…” he said slowly, looking at Emma, his expression unreadable “I let you go, and she kills me.”

For a moment they sat staring at each other, and then Hook jumped up. She leapt to her feet and grabbed a chair, holding it in front of her like a weapon. She wished desperately that she’d taken Gold up on his offer to teach her how to use her magic. Hook grabbed it and snatched it away from her.


	2. Grounded

  
Emma burst through the door of the apartment she still shared with her parents. She was shaking and her clothes were torn. Snow rushed over to her daughter. Her face and arms were bruised and there was blood on her shirt.

“Emma! What happened?” asked Snow distraught. “David!” she shrieked “David!”

Emma collapsed onto the couch, her expression wild.

“What the hell…?” cried David, rushing into the living room.

Emma didn’t speak, but she started to cry.

“What happened? Who did this to you?” cried Snow. She knelt at Emma’s feet and started stroking her hair and, then looked up at David in horror. Something had torn through the thick leather of Emma’s jacket leaving a long gash, and there were rope burns on her wrists. She smelled of salt and spice and… rum?

“Hook?” she gasped “Hook did this to you?”

Emma said nothing, curling up in a ball on the couch with her arms wrapped around her head.

“I’ll kill him!” roared David, snatching up his sword, rushing to the door.

 

\----

Word quickly got around town that Hook had assaulted Emma. David had gone to his ship, knocked him nearly senseless (with a little help from Leroy, who had something to prove about men who made fun of dwarves), and then dragged him back to the Sheriff’s Office and locked him up. Dr Whale, never the most discrete of men, let slip that he’d examined Emma and there was evidence that she’d been attacked.

Snow responded the way she always did in a crisis, remaining clear-headed during the day, determined to protect Emma and Henry, but at night her heart broke for her daughter and she cried in David’s arms. She did her best to shield Henry from the worst of the gossip, explaining that Hook had hurt Emma because she got in the way of his revenge on Rumplestiltskin, but leaving out the full nature of his crime. David, who had taken over Emma’s duties as Sheriff, was all for handing Hook over to Gold and letting him deal with him. Ruby suggested darkly that he leave Hook’s cell unlocked on a full moon, but Snow talked them out of it. “That’s not the way. That’s not who we are,” she pleaded “if we do that, we’re no better than either of them.”

Gold offered to prosecute on Emma’s behalf at the trial, but she refused to speak with him or anyone else for that matter. With the District Attorney already dead, nobody came forward to defend Hook. Archie, unable to ignore his conscience, went to the jail to try and talk to the pirate, but Hook merely laughed at him. “Trying to get me to chirp for you, cricket? Expect me to tell you how sorry I am for what I did to Miss Swan?” he lowered his voice to a growl “well, I’m not. I enjoyed every minute of it.” he said, a slow smile spreading across his lips.

Even though the pirate hadn’t actually harmed Archie when he’d been held captive on his ship, being near Hook made Archie feel extremely uncomfortable. He recognised that Hook’s power over women was sexual, the ultimate power of a man over a woman, which was very exciting for some and very frightening for others, but he struggled to understand why he was so wary of the pirate. Unlike Cora, Regina and Rumple, Hook didn’t have magic, and (until recently at least) hadn’t committed anything like the scale of evils they had, yet there was something Archie found deeply disturbing about him. Something very personal about the threat he presented, and poor Emma was testimony to his complete lack of conscience. Yes, that was the core of it, he concluded. The other three were cursed by the power of their dark magic, but Hook was entirely responsible for his own choices, and if he ever had a conscience, it obviously no longer troubled him. His moral compass was a long way off course.

“He shows no remorse,” Archie reported, “I fear he’s as beyond saving as Regina was when she stood trial in the Enchanted Forest.” They pondered what to do with Hook. They had no means by which to banish him to another land, and there was nowhere safe to exile him within Storybrooke. They concluded that the best thing to do, once he was convicted, would be to push him over the town line, wiping his memory, and hopefully all his wrath with it.

Snow wished bitterly that they’d left him to the ogres and found some other way to get back to Storybrooke without his help finding the compass. She should never have let Emma climb the beanstalk with him. Hook’s anger at being repeatedly bested by her daughter had led to her paying a terrible price. If only…

She wondered uneasily what hand Cora had in this. She’d been pulling Hook’s strings all along. And Regina? She claimed to have reformed and not to have any contact with her mother, and seemed genuinely disturbed by Emma’s assault, but Snow wasn’t entirely convinced... she’d been there before with Regina. Whichever way she looked at it, it all came back to Cora. Not content with destroying her own daughter’s happiness, now she was destroying Snow’s daughter’s as well.

 

\----

As the day of the trial approached, the town was increasingly on edge. Ruby missed Granny desperately and kept her crossbow behind the counter of the diner for reassurance. You couldn’t be too careful these days. People were disappearing. The diner was closing early most nights as few people wanted to be out after dark. Leroy and the other dwarves helped out and made sure she wasn’t alone while opening and closing.

Archie tried to get Emma to open up, but she was still uncommunicative. “Maybe it would help to talk about this before the trial?” he suggested gently.

She looked at him blankly. “Has he denied it?” she asked finally.

“No.” Archie hesitated, remembering the look on Hook’s face as he claimed to have enjoyed it. “The evidence is pretty damning and the whole town is against him, so there’s no chance he won’t be convicted.”

Emma nodded “Good” she said quietly. “I don’t need to face him in court, then?”

Archie hesitated, “Well, Mr Gold will need to ask you some questions about what happened to establish the facts, but, well, nobody’s willing to represent Hook, so he’s representing himself. It’s within his rights to cross-examine you…”

Emma looked up in alarm “What?” she shivered.

Archie put a hand on her shoulder, and immediately withdrew it as she jumped at his touch. “Don’t worry” he said gently, “Anton and your father will be there, and so will Mr Gold. Hook can’t hurt you again.”


	3. Close-hauled

Two days before the trial, the worst happened. A body was found floating in the harbour. To everyone’s horror, it turned out to be Leroy. A shockwave went through the town. Few had mourned Albert Spencer, but Granny was much missed, and now Leroy was gone too. Preparations for Hook’s trial were put on hold, as Snow, Anton and the remaining dwarves made arrangements for Leroy’s funeral. Marco and Michael prepared a coffin, and Belle, having inherited _Game of Thorns_ after her father’s death, prepared some wreaths. Of course, there hadn’t been any hard evidence that Cora had killed Moe French – or Leroy, for that matter – but Rumple and Belle knew it was her message for them: _I’m coming for you too_. Tears slipped down Belle’s cheeks as she fashioned the flowers and foliage into wreaths, Ruby standing silently but reassuringly beside her.

\----

At dusk the following evening, most of town gathered in the graveyard. Everyone had known Leroy, and even those who’d known him as the town drunk, remembered his bravery and his loyalty to Snow. The death of the dwarf once known as Dreamy seemed to spell the end of their own hopes and dreams. Granny, Albert Spencer, Moe French, all dead, and now Leroy. And there were other people missing too. Everyone privately wondered how long it would be before their own name appeared on a gravestone.

Emma stood with Henry and her parents near the grave. Regina stood nearby with Archie, and Gold, Belle, and Ruby hung back in the shadows, the two woman still upset about the funerals of Moe and Granny only a few weeks before.

Snow stepped forward to speak, thanking everyone for coming, and asked for a minute’s silence while they all privately reflected on the man they’d known by many names but always as a brave and true friend.

The silence was broken by Cora.

“Well, isn’t this nice? So thoughtful of you all to come together to mourn the town drunk.” she said as stepped into the clearing, “I hope you don’t mind, but I brought a friend along, I do so hate to travel alone.” Hook stepped out from her shadow.

For a moment people were too shocked to move, and then all hell broke loose, everyone shouting and running at once.

With a flick of her wrist, Cora threw Emma up against a tree and bound her there.

Snow, David and Henry ran toward Emma only to be thrown back by Cora. Regina ran to Henry and helped him, pulling him up, protesting, and holding on to him, while Cora bound Snow and David to the ground with tree roots.

“Anyone else like to say hello?” Cora asked. A few people started to back away but an impatient flick of her wrists and everyone found themselves unable to move.

“Well isn’t this fun?” she said gleefully, “Where would you like to start?” she asked Hook, turning to look at Gold and then Emma.

“Oh, I think Miss Swan can wait for dessert” he said silkily, advancing towards Rumple. “I’ve waited long enough for this. I fancy myself some crocodile.”

Belle screamed, but couldn’t move, and neither could Rumple. Hook advanced on him, and as he did, he pulled a silver dagger out of his coat. Rumple’s eyes widened in shock and fear, how did he find it? _Smee,_ he thought, _the little rat, or Cora…_

“Tell me, crocodile,” Hook drawled “what end for the man who ripped his wife’s heart out just for the crime of falling in love with someone else?” he grabbed Belle and held the dagger to her throat. Rumple cried out… ‘no, please!” Speaking to Belle, Hook whispered “He told you the only deal he’s ever broken was with his son, didn’t he? Well, he broke a deal with Milah too, my life – our lives – for a magic bean…” abruptly he released Belle and pressed the point of the dagger into Rumple’s vest. “You killed her in front of me, while I could do nothing to save her from you, and then you tried to claim the bean and took my hand. But now I have the power in _my_ hand, I hold the dagger! You tell me, crocodile, whom shall I kill first?”

Rumple’s eyes shone with fear, and he tried desperately to move. Hook looked between him and Belle, smiling dangerously. “Tick-tock!” he said viciously.

“Please,” Rumple begged, “Belle doesn’t deserve this! Kill me!” He stared at the dagger, and as he did so, his skin began to change into that of the crocodile. His voice changed and he began to cackle “Kill me, dearie, and learn how it feels to live with my curse! Go on, I dare you! Magic always comes with a price!”

“No!” screamed Belle “No!”

Hook ignored her.

Holding the dagger to Rumple’s chest he looked into Rumple’s eyes, “Milah died to save me from you…” he said, the rest of his words lost beneath the sound of Belle screaming.

“And now I can finally have my vengeance!” he yelled “Good riddance crocodile!” and he plunged the dagger into Rumple’s chest as Belle cried and screamed. A dark stain spread down Rumple’s shirt and he crumpled to the ground. “Belle…” he cried, as he collapsed, unmoving, and was still.

Hook withdrew the dagger, and turned to Belle, triumphantly “Now, let’s see how _you_ live with it!” he sneered, “Let’s see if sweet, gentle Belle stays pure of heart now that her true love has been taken from her! Maybe you’ll find we’re not so different, after all.”

Belle continued to scream, trying desperately to reach Rumple but still rooted to the ground. Ruby howled along with her. A slow smile spread on Cora’s face.

Hook began to advance on Emma. “And now your turn, love.” he said with a smirk.

“No!” screamed Henry, Snow and David in unison.

Henry turned frantically to Regina “Please, don’t let him do this! Stop him! Stop him!”

“I can’t,” Regina cried “I can’t move!” She tried to throw a curse but nothing happened. ”I’m sorry, Henry! There’s nothing I can do!”

Henry’s and Snow’s screams mingled with Belle’s.

Hook stood in front of Emma, his back to everyone else. “So, here we are again, Miss Swan, back where we started, with one of us tied to a tree. Such a pleasure to have known you,” he lingered over the words. “Hook, please don’t do this! Please, I have a son!” Emma cried. He reached out to curl his fingers in her hair, almost reverently, then yanked hard, pulling her head towards his, and kissed her roughly.

“But now that I’ve had you, I really have no further use for you. I’m done with you, Miss Swan.” He said coldly. As he pulled away, he slipped the knife into her side, and stepped back. Emma cried out in pain. Hook stood and watched, as she pleaded with him not to hurt her family. As the blood drained from her body, her knees buckled. He cut the ropes that held her upright and she fell to the ground.

Hook went to re-join Cora in the centre of the clearing, still holding the bloodied dagger. She smiled at him. “Just a couple more” she said sweetly, “And then our work here is done.”

She walked over to where Snow and David lay, pinned to the ground. “This time your daughter isn’t here to save you.” she said softly, as she plunged her hands into Snow and David’s chests, pulling out their hearts as she stood up with a triumphant smile. Behind her, Hook laughed.

“It’s a lot more fun when it isn’t happening to you or someone you love, isn’t it?” she turned and smiled at him affectionately.


	4. Broaching

“Either I hurt you so that she knows that I’m loyal, or…” he said slowly, looking at Emma, his expression unreadable “I let you go, and she kills me.”

For a moment they sat staring at each other, and then Hook jumped up. She leapt to her feet and grabbed a chair, holding it in front of her like a weapon. She wished desperately that she’d taken Gold up on his offer to teach her how to use her magic. Hook grabbed it and snatched it away from her, putting it back down, starting to pace the cabin like a caged animal. Emma looked around wildly for anything to defend herself with, but Hook didn’t move towards her.

“How did you think this was all going to end?” he asked, bitterly. “Do you think Cora is going to let any of us off? It doesn’t matter what I do, sooner or later, when I’ve avenged myself on Rumple, saving her the need to have to kill him herself, she’ll turn on me, you, all of us. She’ll kill you, or…” it dawned on him what Cora’s intentions might be, “have me kill you and your parents. Then Henry” he said quietly, thinking aloud. ”She wants her daughter to lose everything so that she’s left with no-one but her. She can’t kill Henry herself or Regina will hate her, so she’ll force someone else into it.”

Emma recoiled “No!”

“Did you really think any of us would have a happy ending, Emma?” he said bitterly.

Her face was wild and her voice was hoarse “She wants you to kill Henry?”

Hook shook his head “I don’t know. I’m just guessing. But she’ll force someone else to do it. She won’t do it herself.”

“Hook,” she pleaded “you can’t! Please? Not Henry!”

“Emma, I don’t want to!” he said earnestly. “The only person I want to kill is Rumple, and as soon as I find his dagger, I will.”

“His dagger?” Emma looked at him in alarm. “Hook, you can’t! Don’t you understand that if you use Rumplestiltskin’s dagger to kill him, you _become_ The Dark One! Is that what you want? Haven’t 300 years of hate and anger been enough? You want to live with that curse for all eternity?”

“I won’t!” he yelled. “Emma, do you think Cora will let me live?”

“And you’re okay with that?” she yelled back.

“I swore to avenge Milah. That’s the only thing that matters. After that… I don’t care!”

“You’re lying.”

“Am I?” he challenged. They stared at each silently. Hook looked away before she did, turning his back on her.

“Yes. You’re just afraid that after you kill him, you’ll be even emptier than you are now.”

Hook stiffened.

“I know you loved Milah,” she said “but did she love you?” she asked urgently.

“She saved my life!” he thundered, rounding on Emma. “Rumple reached into my chest and tried to rip my heart out, and she stopped him, bargained with him for my life! But when he came to collect the magic bean she promised, he wanted to know why she’d left him and Bae. She told him that she’d never loved him, and then he ripped her heart out and crushed it in front of me! I couldn’t do anything to prevent it. I watched as he destroyed her, and her last words to me were ‘I love you’” the words caught in his throat and he stood there, shaking with emotion “and I couldn’t stop him! I couldn’t save her! She died in my arms. She loved me and… I failed her!”

Emma knew then that his anger was as much directed at himself as at Rumple. He blamed himself for her death, because he couldn’t do anything to help her.

“Hoo-Killian,” she said gently, “It wasn’t your fault…”

“It was! We would never have been there if I hadn’t forced her to return to the village to try and find Bae before we left for Neverland. She was afraid to face him, ashamed of leaving him, but I told her she needed to say goodbye. But we were too late, he’d already gone. If we hadn’t returned we would never have met Rumple again. It should have been me, Emma, it should have been me who died, not her!” he cried in anguish, his self-loathing finally spilling over.

She stood silently for a moment, shocked by his admission, and then she asked quietly “If you met her today, would she know you? Would she fall in love with the person you’ve become? Is _this_ what she would want for you?” Hook recoiled as if she’d slapped him, but Emma continued “If she loved you, really loved you, she’d want you to let go, be free, stop blaming yourself and start living your life again. And if you truly loved her, instead of trying to avenge her, you’d prove that her sacrifice was worth it, that you’re worth saving!”

“Am I?” he asked bitterly.

“Listen to me. You asked me to trust you once, and I couldn’t. And I’m sorry. I wasn’t honest with you about why I left you behind on that beanstalk. It wasn’t because I didn’t trust you. It was because I started to believe you were on my side, and it scared the crap out of me. But now I’m asking you to trust _me_. Milah wouldn’t want this for you. No woman would want this for a man she loved. She died to save you, Killian, not to see you consumed by hate, destroying yourself.”

“I failed her, Emma!”

“No! But you will if you keep on this path.”

“I’m not worth saving, Emma. The person I am now… I’m the villain here.”

“That’s your _choice_.” she said harshly, “ _Un_ choose it!”

“It’s too late…”

“It’s _never_ too late to put things right! It’s not too late to stop Cora. It’s not too late to save me or Henry, or the rest of us from whatever she has planned for us! Please, Killian,” she pleaded, gripping his arms tightly, “help me stop this!”

He stared at her, a hundred different emotions passing across his face.

“You really believe you can beat Cora?” he asked slowly.

“YES!” We’re going to win this fight, Killian. Good _always_ wins.”

“We?”

“Well, that’s up to you.”

\----

“So,” he said slowly. “What do we do? The only way this can work is if Cora believes I’m on her side.”

Emma knew what he was asking. She sat down beside to him. “So you need to hurt me.”

He cringed. “She has to _believe_ I’ve hurt you.”

Emma stared at him evenly. “You have to make this look convincing.”

“We.” He said. “She won’t believe you got away unless it looks like you’ve put up a fight.”

Emma hesitated “It’s not just Cora,” she said slowly “We have to convince everyone you assaulted me. The whole town will turn against you.”

“You mean it hasn’t already?” he laughed harshly. “Then I must have been doing something wrong.” Then more seriously, “Your father’s going to try and kill me before Cora gets her hands on me though.” he mused.

“And my mother, oh lord, maybe I should tell them…?”

“I appreciate your concern, Emma,” he smiled grimly, “but no. Let’s keep it simple. The more people know, the more likely it is that Cora won’t buy it. We make it look like I’ve assaulted you and it will be all too easy for everyone to assume it was me. You won’t even need to confirm or deny it. They’ll arrest me, and arrange for me to stand trial, but once Cora is convinced I’m still on her side, she’ll get me out of it.”

“And if she doesn’t?”

“Then we’re both in trouble.” They considered the truth of this statement.

“We’re screwed.” said Emma. There was no getting around it. “So, either we’re going to have to beat ourselves up, or hurt each other.”

Hook smiled weakly. “Don’t take this the wrong way Emma, but there are a hundred other things I’d rather do to you.”

“Honestly?” she said. “Me too.”

They both laughed.

“Well, we’ve still got 8 hours…” he joked.

Emma didn’t reply but when Hook gave her a playful shove, she let him draw her into an embrace. They sat there on the floor, Emma leaning against his chest, his knees drawn up on either side of her, while he stroked her hair.

“I’m sorry, Emma.” he said seriously.

“Don’t be. There’s no other way, is there? Just be on my side and keep fighting?”

“I promise.” A vision of Milah swam through his head, but instead of seeing her lying broken in his arms, he saw her smiling.

 

\----

They sat for a long time in companionable silence.

“Why don’t you try and get some sleep?” he suggested eventually. “I’ll wake you when it’s time.”

“ _Now_ you decide to be a gentleman?” she teased.

“I’m _always_ a gentleman.”

“No, you’re not!” The words slipped out more emphatically than she’d intended.

He laughed. “I meant what I said before, Emma, it’s no fun unless she’s willing.”

“And if she is?” she asked quietly.

Hook blinked, uncertainly. He hadn't expected this. The way she was looking at him was unnerving. He tried to find a quip to hide behind, but nothing came. Despite all their sparring and his previous attempts to flirt with her, he felt completely unprepared. There was nothing left for either of them to hide behind. This wasn’t Captain Hook and the Sheriff of Storybrooke, this was Killian and Emma.

If one, or both of us, is going to die… she thought.

He reasoned to himself that if her father was going to kill him anyway, it may as well be for something he’d actually done. And he might never get another chance …

“You’ll be the death of me, Emma Swan” he breathed, as he curled his fingers in her hair.

“I hope not." she murmured, "I’m supposed to be the saviour, remember?”

“Aye, lass,” he said quietly, as his mouth found hers, “I’m counting on it.”

 

\----

Some hours later, Emma woke to find Killian shaking her gently, “Emma, it’s time.” he whispered. She pulled his arms around her tightly, and for a moment they lay there silently. Finally she broke away, got up and started to pull on her clothes.

She took a deep breath and turned to face him. “I’m ready” she said, steeling herself.

“I don’t know that I am.” he muttered, looking uncomfortable. “Maybe you should hit me first.”

“Maybe you could grab me and I’ll try and fight you off…?”

“Maybe you could bite me?” he suggested. They stared at each other, neither wanting to be the one to make the first move.

“Sod it...” She said, gritting her teeth, and took a swing at him. “Sorry!” she cried, as he staggered under her blow.

Hook cursed. “Damn it, Emma!” and then grinned ruefully, rubbing his jaw “Good form!”

She winced. “Your turn.” His smile disappeared. “We _have_ to make this look convincing.”

“I’m sorry.” He said, as he lunged at her, ripping her jacket and blouse with his hook, and pushing her so hard against the wall it winded her. ”I’m sorry, Emma”.

“I know” she said, as she kicked at his shins and bit down on his arm “so am I.”

 

\----

“What happened? Who did this to you?” cried Snow. She knelt at Emma’s feet and started stroking her hair and, then looked up at David in horror. Something had torn through the thick leather of Emma’s jacket leaving a long gash, and there were rope burns on her wrists. She smelled of salt and spice and… rum?

“Hook?” she gasped “Hook did this to you?”

Emma said nothing, filled with guilt. She hated to put her parents through this, on top of everything else they’d gone through. And Henry, oh god, Henry… she curled up in a ball on the couch, wrapping her arms around her head. She couldn’t let them see her face. She didn’t know if she was strong enough to hurt them all this way.

“I’ll kill him!” roared David, snatching up his sword, rushing to the door. _Please God, no_ , thought Emma. _Please don’t kill him._

 

\----

Why hadn’t she anticipated that her mother would take her to the hospital and have Dr Whale examine her? What if there was evidence? No, she couldn’t let this happen. She fought to prevent it, and Snow watched in horror as her daughter tried to stop another man from touching her. The nurse indicated the needle she was hiding behind her back and Snow silently nodded her agreement, anything to blunt her daughter’s pain. As the sedative took hold, Emma was unable to prevent the examination. _Forgive me, Killian, I didn’t think of this_ , _I’m sorry!_ she cried silently.

 

\----

Hook laughed at Archie “Trying to get me to chirp for you, cricket? Expect me to tell you how sorry I am for what I did to Miss Swan?” he lowered his voice to a growl “well, I’m not. I enjoyed every minute of it.” Well, at least that wasn’t a lie. He couldn’t stop the slow smile as he thought of how good it felt to lie with her. He didn’t regret any of it in the slightest, right up until the part where he had to hit her, anyway. She hoped she’d gone to see a doctor, and then a horrible thought occurred to him… there would be evidence. Even if she denied it, he was never going to be allowed anywhere near Emma again.

 

\----

“Good” she said Emma quietly. “I don’t need to face him in court, then?”

Archie hesitated, “Well, Mr Gold will need to ask you some questions about what happened to establish the facts, but, well, nobody’s willing to represent Hook, so he’s representing himself. It’s within his rights to cross-examine you…”

Emma looked up in alarm “What?” she shivered, remembering the feel of him and wondering if she had the strength to keep up the pretence when they were in the same room together. She hadn’t actually agreed to Gold representing her. He was the last person she wanted involved in this. If Cora didn’t free him and it actually went to trial, it was going to be a lot harder to claim that it had all been a misunderstanding. As it was, she didn’t know how she was going to explain away the physical evidence. She clung to the hope that no-one in Storybrooke had heard of DNA and wouldn’t have thought to collect any of Killian’s. She would have laughed at the idea of them trying, but she was too worried about what would happen to him if they had. Why hadn’t Cora freed him yet? Time was running out. 

Archie put a hand on her shoulder. She jumped at his touch, still thinking of Killian, but not in the way that Archie assumed.

 

\----

Holding the dagger to Rumple’s chest, Hook looked into Rumple’s eyes. “Milah died to save me from you!” he said.

He dropped his voice to a whisper so that nobody but Rumple could hear, his voice lost beneath the sound of Belle screaming “But if I kill you now, I become you, and instead of avenging her, it will be a betrayal.” Rumple listened, stunned. “This dagger gives me power over you, so you’re going to do exactly what I say. In a moment it's going to look like I’m plunging this into your heart, but I’m going to miss, and you’re going to use your magic to make it look as though I’ve killed you. Then I’m going to pretend to kill Emma, but again, you’ll make it look like I really did. I don’t know what else she has in mind, but eventually I believe Cora is going to try and kill Henry, thinking Emma’s love can no longer protect him. But as long as Emma lives, she can’t hurt him. So whatever happens, you keep Emma alive. Do you understand?”

Rumple nodded, not that he had a choice, Hook had the dagger.

“Will you do this?”

He nodded again “Why?”

“Because Milah would have wanted it.” Hook hissed. “And I’m not going to be responsible for another child losing his mother.”

Rumple stared at him “You love her.” It wasn’t a question.

Hook said nothing. “Do we have a deal? I let you live, and you do whatever you have to do to save Emma and Henry.”

“Cora will kill you.”

“She’ll try…” said Hook grimly. “Are you ready?”

“Yes.”

“And now I can finally have my vengeance!” Hook yelled “Good riddance crocodile!” and he plunged the dagger between Rumple’s chest and his arm, as Belle cried and screamed. A dark stain spread down Rumple’s shirt and he crumpled to the ground. “Belle…” he cried, as he collapsed, and then he was still.

Hook withdrew the dagger, and turned to Belle, triumphantly “Now, let’s see how _you_ live with it!” he sneered, “Let’s see if sweet, gentle Belle stays pure of heart now that her true love has been taken from her! Maybe you’ll find we’re not so different, after all.” He felt sick to the stomach as he walked away, remembering how he felt when Milah died, but there was no time for that now, he had to keep up the pretence.

Belle continued to scream, trying desperately to reach Rumple but still rooted to the ground. Ruby howled along with her. A slow smile spread on Cora’s face.

Hook began to advance on Emma. “And now your turn, love.” he said with what sounded like a smirk, but looked more like a grimace.

“No!” screamed Henry, Snow and David in unison.

Henry turned frantically to Regina “Please, don’t let him do this! Stop him! Stop him!”

“I can’t,” Regina cried “I can’t move!” She pretended to throw a curse but of course, nothing happened. ”I’m sorry, Henry! There’s nothing I can do!”

Henry’s and Snow’s screams mingled with Belle’s.

Hook stood in front of Emma, his back to everyone else. “So, here we are again, Miss Swan, back where we started, with one of us tied to a tree. Such a pleasure to have known you,” he lingered over the words. “Hook, please don’t do this! Please, I have a son!” Emma cried. She stared into his eyes, desperate to see Killian and not Hook there. He reached out to curl his fingers in her hair, then yanked hard, pulling her head towards him and kissed her roughly, desperately, whispering urgently in her ear “Emma, he’s not dead, he’s going to help us. Are you okay, can you do this?” Nobody heard him above the sound of Snow’s pleas and David’s curses, or saw the look of understanding that passed between them. It took every ounce of self-control not to give themselves away.

“But now that I’ve had you, I really have no further use for you. I’m done with you, Miss Swan.” he said coldly. As he pulled away, he pretended to slip the knife into her side, and stepped back. Emma cried out in apparent pain. Hook stood and watched, as she pleaded with him not to hurt her family. Rumple held up his end of the deal, and as the blood appeared to drain from her body, and her knees buckled, Hook cut the ropes that held her upright and she fell to the ground. An icy chill washed over him and he hoped he never had to see this for real.

Hook braced himself, and went to re-join Cora in the centre of the clearing, still holding the bloodied dagger. She smiled at him. “Just a couple more” she said sweetly, “And then our work here is done.”

She walked over to where Snow and David lay, pinned to the ground, crying and helpless. “This time your daughter isn’t here to save you.” she said softly, as she plunged her hands into Snow and David’s chests, pulling out their hearts as she stood up with a triumphant smile. Behind her, Hook laughed out loud. _Oh, God, what a fool! Why hadn’t he foreseen this? Of course she wanted to be the one who handed Snow’s heart to her daughter. It was so obvious only a fool would miss it. A fool, he reflected, focused only on love and revenge…_

“It’s a lot more fun when it isn’t happening to you or someone you love, isn’t it?” she turned and smiled at him affectionately, misunderstanding his laugh in her moment of triumph.


	5. Heaving to

Cora was completely unprepared for the dagger that sliced through the air and into her stomach.

“Oh, you foolish man!” she cried, her eyes wide in surprise. She dropped Snow and David’s hearts as she clutched at the dagger with one hand and plunged the other into Hook’s chest, both collapsing to their knees in shock and pain. 

As Cora tugged on Hook’s heart, her hold on everyone else began to slip, and suddenly people found that they could move again. Henry freed himself from Regina’s grasp and ran to his mother, sobbing with joy as she pulled herself upright.

Ruby and Archie ran to Snow and David, rescuing their hearts from the ground beside Cora, “Let me” said Archie, thinking of the two innocent lives he’d ended, and wanting a chance to make amends. Belle ran to Rumple, who opened his eyes and kissed her, the last traces of the crocodile leaving his face.

Cora tugged at Hook’s heart as he twisted the dagger, their eyes burning into each other, hers full of confusion, his full of defiance. Regina screamed for her mother and ran towards them, but fell, bound by the dust of the Blue Fairy’s magic. Cora didn’t understand what was happening.

“What?” she gasped, trying in vain to pull Hook’s heart from his chest.

“Love!” he declared triumphantly. “Love for Milah, love for Emma.”

“I knew she was your weakness!” she spat scornfully. Hook’s face contorted in pain as Cora pulled harder on his heart.

“No!” said Emma, wrenching herself away from an emotional Henry, to stand beside Hook. “I’m his strength! Love is strength. Love is hope. Love is _magic_.” And through the strength of her will, she pushed Cora’s hand out of Hook’s chest.

Rumple appeared beside them. “Can you bind her powers?” she asked frantically.

“No.” he said. “Killing her is the only way to end this. I’m sorry Belle.” he whispered, afraid to look at her. He turned to Hook “May I?” Hook understood what he was asking. “Together?” Rumple took hold of the dagger and together they pushed it clean through Cora. She tore at their hands, trying to push them away, but to no avail, “Regina?” she cried, as the life drained out of her and she crumpled slowly to the ground, but her daughter didn’t come. Hook and Rumple hung on grimly. Only when she was completely still, and Dr Whale proclaimed her dead, did they let go of the dagger.

Belle put her hand on Rumple’s shoulder and he wept with relief at her understanding. “What now?” she whispered, looking at the dagger with disgust. They all looked at Emma.

“I don’t know.”

“I do,” said the Blue Fairy. “But I’ll need some help from Henry.”

“Henry?”

“This is a very powerful kind of magic, and it needs someone of pure heart to protect it. Henry needs to keep the dagger safe until we can return to our land.”

“But if Henry has the dagger, he has the power to control The Dark One. He’s too young for that kind of responsibility!” cried Emma.

“No, I’m not.” said Henry.

“No, he’s not.” said Hook and Rumple, at the same time. Better Henry than either of them.

David rounded on Hook “What right do you have to talk about my family?” he roared. “Stay away from my daughter, you bastard!” he yelled, breaking away from Snow, and lunging at Hook, knocking him to the ground.

Emma grabbed him “No!” she cried “he didn’t do anything! We just made it look that way! He was on our side. We planned it together! Please…” she begged, trying to pull her father off before he beat Hook senseless again.

Snow and David stared at her in disbelief. “What?”

“I didn’t kidnap Emma.” said Hook, wincing in pain, and pulling himself upright as David released him, “It was Cora. She brought Emma to me as a present, a test. To pass, I had to hurt Emma, and if I failed she would have killed me.”

“So we tricked her,” continued Emma urgently, “we made it look like he assaulted me, so she’d believe he was loyal to her.”

“But, Dr Whale examined you…” Snow gasped, one hand over her mouth, the other gripping David’s shoulder. Emma said nothing, but Snow saw the look that passed between her and Hook. “You…? The two of you? No! … That’s why she couldn’t take his heart?!”

“Yes, I mean, no, I… I don’t know.” About a dozen emotions passed across Emma’s face.

Hook scowled at her, damn girl couldn’t say it. “Cora would have killed me either way” he said, tiredly “But this way there was a chance to save Emma and Henry. I couldn’t let her kill them. All I ever wanted to do was avenge Milah,” he glanced nervously at Rumple. “I didn’t want this.”

“You didn’t want to take another mother away from her son.” Rumple stated.

“It wasn’t like that…” started Hook, furiously, but Rumple held up his hand.

“Alright, dearie, I know. She would have left me eventually, anyway, if not with you then someone else.”

Suddenly Regina interrupted them. “Henry?” she cried, staggering to her feet, as the temporary binding spell wore off. “She was going to hurt Henry?”

“Oh yes,” said Hook, coldly, “once she had you to herself, she would have killed Henry, or had someone else do it so that she’d be the only person you had left.”

“No!” she recoiled.

“Yes.” said Rumple. “You know better than anyone that she’d stop at nothing. That’s why you asked me to help you banish her to Wonderland in the first place. You knew what she was capable of.”

“I don’t believe you!” she hissed at Hook and Rumple, and made a lunge for the dagger, pulling it out of her mother and brandishing it in front of them. “You’re lying! She promised to help me get Henry back! You, you killed my mother! You killed her!” she sobbed, tightening her grip on the dagger.

“Mother!” yelled Henry “Stop! Think about what you’re doing!” he ran to her and grabbed the dagger “Don’t be that person anymore! Please?” he begged. “Please?” She collapsed, sobbing, and Henry gently prised the dagger away from her. Archie walked over and crouched beside Regina, his hand on her shoulder as she sobbed over her mother’s body, her face ravaged with conflicting emotions.

“Wait, let me get this right, you _slept_ with my daughter?!” roared David, lunging at Hook again.

“Dad!” yelled Emma

“David!” yelled Snow at the same time.

“See, I told you we wouldn’t get a happy ending.” Hook muttered darkly to Emma as she and Snow tried to pull David off him again.

“My mom and Captain Hook?” asked Henry incredulously. Emma stared at him, mortified.

Henry looked at them curiously, “So, he didn’t hurt you after all?”

“No” she confirmed “he didn’t. We just made it look that way.”

“Cool!” said Henry with a grin.

“What?” gasped Emma, David and Snow in unison.

“He’s a _pirate_! Pirates are cool!” he said.

Hook looked at him with pleasure and muttered “Good lad.”

“Well,” said Belle, addressing the still fuming David “at least he didn’t sleep with your _wife_! We all know where _that_ can lead!”

They stared at her, and started to laugh. Gales of laughter washing over them, pure sweet relief.

Emma turned to Hook “See? You’re wrong.” she said smiling widely, and kissed him.


	6. Running

In the months that followed Cora’s death, the residents of Storybrooke began to choose where their futures lay. When Anton’s beans were ready to harvest, many returned to the Enchanted Forest, while some decided to stay behind.

The dwarves decided to go back with Tiny, realising they preferred being farmers to working in the mines. August and Marcos returned to the forest, a land they agreed had fewer temptations, and Archie went with them, to help those returning readjust to their former lives. Jefferson, Grace, Michael Tillman and his children followed. The returnees found Philip and Aurora reunited and rebuilding their palace, and August found that the land was not completely without temptation after all, even if Mulan was a very different prospect to the obliging young women he’d known in Phuket.

Ashleigh and Sean stayed on in Storybrooke, and Ruby vowed to keep Granny’s open for as long as anyone else remained. She’d found friends among the local wolf pack, and was at peace with both sides of her nature. Dr Whale also decided to remain behind and place his faith in science rather than magic, although Snow suspected it might have more to do with Ruby.

As soon as the first bean was harvested, Emma, Hook, Belle, and Rumple accompanied Henry and The Blue Fairy back to Lake Nostos with the dagger. The Blue Fairy explained that, once upon a time, the dagger had been a source of good magic, not dark, and that the lake would restore its true nature. Henry threw it into the middle of the lake, and a hand rose out of the water to catch it. As it did so, they caught a glimpse of the dagger’s true form, a long, glittering sword, before it disappeared into the depths of the lake. “This magic belongs here.” The Blue Fairy said. “From this point on it will be a source of good, not evil.”

Released from the curse at last, and satisfied that the dagger was no longer a threat to anyone, Rumple and Belle decided to start a new life in The Land Without Magic, and quietly disappeared. The curse long broken, people could safely cross the town line. Nobody heard from them again, but once a month, without fail, Ruby received a new book through the mail, and knew that her friend was safe and well.

Snow and David continued to fight about whether to return or remain. He was itching to go back and rebuild their kingdom, but Snow was waiting for her daughter to reveal what she wanted. She found an unexpected ally in Regina, who was also waiting to see what Emma decided, willing to do whatever it took to continue to be allowed a role in Henry’s life.

In the end, it was Henry who determined their fates. “I like it here,” he said, “but there are so many other lands out there to see! Why can’t we explore them?” he turned to Killian, excitedly “We could travel on your ship, like real pirates!”

“I don’t think your mom is going to let us be pirates…” said Killian, failing to disguise the disappointment in his voice. He’d given up his leather coat and waistcoats for plain long-sleeved shirts, but steadfastly refused to change his leather pants for denim. Emma continued to give him a hard time, refusing to acknowledge how much she loved the way he looked like a rock star, even while knowing the smug bastard knew she did… what was it he called her? An open book.

“I should hope not!” Regina said indignantly.

Emma considered Henry’s suggestion. “Well, we’re _not_ going to become pirates,” she said, throwing Killian a warning glance, “but we could become… explorers?” she mused, warming to the idea. “We could stay in Storybrooke during term-time…” Henry rolled his eyes. “no kid, you are not missing out on school, and be adventurers in the school holidays.”

“That we could, love!” said Killian, enthusiastically. He’d been wondering how to break it to her that after all the hundreds of years he’d spent in Neverland, he was going to find it very challenging to stay in one place for long.

It suited Regina too. She could stay on in her comfortable home in Storybrooke and resume her duties as Mayor, even if she wasn’t entirely happy at the idea of Henry being allowed to travel with that bloody pirate. The damn man kept winking and leering at her, and it made her very uncomfortable. He was with Emma for goodness sake, maybe she should have a word…? But Killian knew that she wouldn’t, she was too afraid of losing access to Henry to cause a stir, and besides, it was Emma who kept encouraging him to do it, taking secret pleasure in watching him make Regina squirm. This redemption business was all very well, but there was no need to let it completely ruin their fun!

Snow loved the idea. She’d get the new life in Storybrooke that she wanted, continue teaching, and have some adventures in between.

It was David that needed persuading.

One fine day, Snow, Emma, and Killian surprised him by taking him out to a piece of land on the edge of town between the sea and the forest and suggesting they build a house and establish a farm.

“It’s beautiful, but we can’t afford it!” he protested. “Our salaries at the school and animal shelter will never stretch to this!”

“Ah, that.” said Killian. “Actually, you can. One of the perks of your daughter falling in love with a pirate.”

“What?” David stared at him, confused.

“Turns out there’s a market in this land for those gold trinkets I’ve been collecting over the years.” Killian explained. “Emma went to Boston and cashed them in for… how much was it again, love?”

“More than enough!” Emma smiled.

“Anyway, I grew up in the country,” Killian continued “and learned a thing or two about working the land... and I love a challenge!” he grinned, “If you’re up for it?”

David was. He wasn’t sure if he’d ever be completely happy about the idea of Emma with that pirate, but since when has any father been happy with his daughter’s choice of man?

And so it was that they began their new lives together.

Sidney Glass also stayed on in Storybrooke. Even after all those years, and disappointments, he still loved Regina, and over time, his patience and persistence slowly began to pay off. The fact that he no longer allowed her to push him around definitely increased his appeal.

Henry was able to visit Grace in the holidays, and sometimes she and Jefferson joined them on _The Jolly Roger._ Jefferson lost that crazed look and started to smile again, he and Killian reminiscing about the old days, before the crocodile, back when they were all still friends with Peter [ _A/N: but that’s another story!_ ]. Sometimes Emma thought they were just a couple of boys who refused to grow up, as though a part of both of them had never really left Neverland.

Snow White, with all her family around her, was happier than she’d ever been. Watching her daughter at the helm of the ship, laughing with Henry and Killian, her blond hair flying in the breeze, she thought it was the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen. Snow smiled contentedly, “Good _always_ wins.” she whispered to the wind.

 

\----

**And they all lived happily ever after.**


End file.
